It’s not often that the planets line up, Karma comes around or that everything just lines up properly. This past Saturday tour day was one of those perfect happenings. When two very good friends were in town this past weekend, it seemed like a good opportunity to take one to a brewery tour while the other was duck hunting. As a typical weathered day in the Metro, traffic was horrid and I ran late getting to the hotel for the tour. The mighty hunter had finished and was on his way back with his spoils and we both decided to wait and have him go with us to the tour.

My first idea was to hit Fort Worth since the hotel was in Weatherford. Looking at the location though and the time frame of running late, it seemed that maybe getting late would not have been a good idea so the decision of a slightly closer and unvisited brewery came to fruition, that brewery being Revolver in Granbury. Time was still not looking great but I figured that we would get there at least an hour before the close and we would get a couple samples. Imagine my surprise when we arrived at the brewery and found that not only were they extending their tour until four in the afternoon rather than three but we also happened to have arrived at the one year birthday party. While there was no cake for this party by the time we arrived, we did get a gift of five samples of great beer.

The brewery itself is nestled off the beaten path, not just being in Granbury but also being outside of the town center. The birthday party tour was a bit chilly but plenty of radiant heater and firepits allowed even that gentleman in shorts to seem warm. Live music and food were present with a nice barbeque scent in the air. There was a decent turnout for this tour but enough space that groups could still talk at a level that didn’t strain the voice. While the place did have a large turnout, it was still easy enough to recognize who was an employee for any questions needed. The beers themselves were definitely something to be experienced.

The first sample tasted was the Sidewinder Southwestern Pale Ale. A different beer brewed with maize and agave nectar. The beer was a nice light golden color and gave a slightly spiced and hoppy scent. Flavor was wheaty, almost similar to a Heffeweizen. ABV is reported as 6.0% and it shows but has no alcohol bite. Nice smooth finish.

The second beer sampled was the Revolver Bock. This is a standard bock-style beer with a nice dark mahogany color and maple-malt scent. The flavor is sweet with almost no detection of hop or alcohol bite but a noticeable alcohol presence. A very outstanding beer.

The third sampling was the essential-to-have Blood and Honey Pale Wheat Ale. Having had this before at a tavern and out of the bottle, I knew what to expect but fresh from the brewery was a bit different from my normal enjoyment. This beer is a tad hazy orange and smells of wheat and honey. The flavor is a nice balance of sweetness and acid from the ingredients, none of which stands out but remains in a nicely balanced flavor that must be enjoyed when you find it. The fourth sample to grace the glass was the High Brass Ale, a blonde ale that gave a nice, light citrus note from the scent. Color was a golden yellow color. Flavor is a light and offers no overpowering alcohol or hop note to distract from the mouthfeel. I am normally not a fan of most blonde ales but this blonde was definitely a welcome sample.

The final sample tasted was the Mullet Cutter IPA. A friend sampled this at the beginning of the tour and offered me a sniff and taste. I was initially not very impressed with the scent as it was a bit “farm” like. My initial taste far outweighed whatever scent that was less impressive on the initial sample. My sample, poured 2 hours after the first sampling, gave me an opaque, maple colored beer that now had the scent of pine and citrus. The barnyard scent, common in certain hops strains, was no longer present. The flavor remained however, a grand hoppy flavor with a robust bitterness that only a hop lover can truly enjoy. Looking back, it is highly possible it could have been one of the other people there that gave off the barnyard-style scent; Granbury is a little rural after all.

If you have not tried any of Revolver beers yet, you are missing out on another great Texas brewery. The atmosphere was great even though it was a bit chilly out (props to the guy wearing shorts) and the music was great. The beers were excellent and definitely worth the drive. I cannot stress enough that if you enjoy a beer, try it on tap if you’ve only done the bottle or can. After you try the tap, try the brewery itself as the beers are definitely more robust and strong in flavor when fresh. These beers sampled were definitely great and I look forward to seeing more of them at my local watering holes. Revolver Brewing- HAPPY BIRTHDAY and Sláinte.